Keepers of the Gate
The Keepers of the Gate was the largest organized following of the god of Death, Maladon , pre-Silence. They become splintered into a new faction, Post-Silence, the Reapers of the Soul . 'History' The Keepers of the Gate, also known as the Black Brothers , were a fixture within Arness society before the Great Silence. Black Brothers, as they were always male, were seen as a necessary function of life. They would walk through the streets in their black robes with their chains of keys around their waists and wait for the coming of death. The priests and clerics of Maladon had an uncanny sense of when Death would claim someone and were usually on hand when the moment came. As not every person in Arland is as devout as a cleric, when they died their soul might not be immediately claimed by their chosen deity. It was the responsibility of the Black Brothers to "escort" the souls of the recently departed to the nearest temple where they might pass through the Gate to reach which ever god they had followed. The Paladins of Maladon were especially valued during the Rise of the Pale Moon as they were charged with the defense of the grave. They would ensure that the dead would remain within the ground even when the pull of the moon was so great that it could summon nearly any and all to kill. Priests of Maladon were favored for their ability to summon and channel the spirits of the departed during the Pale Moon and at other times- allowing the living to commune with the dead for a time. 'The Great Silence ' During the Great Silence, the Church of Arn and the Order of the Blazing Sun laid the guilt for the gods turning their backs upon humanity at the feet of the followers of Maladon . It's no wonder since without divine powers, the rising of the first Pale Moon brought with it hundreds of ravenous undead pouring out of every cemetery and grave to hunt and kill the humans nearby. As a result, many if not all of the followers of Maladon were hunted, arrested and executed by the Order of the Blazing Sun within the first three decades of the Great Silence . Followers of Maladon, with their black robes, iron chain belt with keys, were easily identified within the community. Their Houses of the Dead were put to the torch and many of their records and books of rituals were lost to the flames. This period is known to all followers of Maladon as "The Purge ". To ensure that their faith would not vanish from the world, a select few of the priests who were able to escape the Hunts created the Temple of Bones or as it is also called, the Academy of Shadows . The temple, created deep underground, was a secret depository for the knowledge of the Keepers of the Gate. Holy Artifacts, books of prayers and rituals were smuggled across the land to this last holy temple. Many Black Brothers died to rescue the tomes of their faith. 'The East' While the Keepers were being shunned in almost every major city and hunted down by the Order of the Blazing Sun, there was only one safe haven open to them; the East Marches. With word spreading of a new settlement on the shores of the Sea of Scales, several Keepers grabbed what relics and items they could and headed east along the Black River. This massive migration became known as the Exodus to scholars of History and was accompanied by an active campaign to hunt down their numbers as they attempted to escape the Kels and the reach of the former Paladins of Arn. Those who were able to escape to the East settled in the city of Koraj and there they were able to make alliances with the Guild of Mages known as the House of Mogador . Any Arnan force who came looking for them never returned to the Kels. 'Culture' The Keepers of the Gate were a very solem order, knowing that death should be respected at all times. Keepers often keep Crows and Ravens as pets and familiars as the bird is the chosen animal of their god Maladon. Many Houses of the Dead used trained ravens and crows to deliver messages back and forth as Whelps were not always available and many Gizadi would not share their knowledge of how to train the flying faux dragons. 'Rituals & Holy Days' * See also: Rituals of Maladon *Ritual of Awakening 'Wars' War/Keepers 'Battles' Battle/Keepers 'Events' Event/Keepers 'Quotes about Them' 'Quotes from Them' Category:Order/Maladon Category:Order/Human Category:Order/North Marches Category:Order/Kels Category:Order/South Marches Category:Order/Divine Category:Organization/Marrash Category:Faction